Shock eliminating device for railroad track scales



s. YuscHAcK 2,492,130 SHOCK ELIMINATING DEVICE FOR RALROAD TRACK SCALES Filed June .'50, 1948 VIII/lll] INVENTOR. STEvE YUSCHACK ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 20, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOCK ELIMINATING DEVICE FOR RAILROAD TRACK SCALES Steve Yuschack, Youngstown, Ohio Application June 30, 1948, Serial No. 36,130

This invention relates ing approaches to track scales and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide improved rail joints which include means bridging the gaps at such approaches and thereby gradually and smoothly transferring Weight of car wheels across these gaps.

A further object of the invention is to provide ofv structure, a preferred form of which is shownin the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a top plan View of an improved rail joint embodying features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the rail joint; and

Figures 3 and 4 are vertical sectional views taken substantially on lines III-III and IV-IV respectively of Figure l.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

The rail joint of the present invention is illustrated on the approach to a track scale. The scale has a platform I which moves vertically in accordance with loads applied thereto and hence must be free of its approaches. The approach includes a fixed foundation I2. Rails I3 are supported on foundation I2 and rails I4 on platform IU, only one rail of the track being illustrated. The rail ends are separated by a gap G, which is necessary to permit free vertical deflection of the scale platform, as indicated in Figure 2.

In accordance with the present invention, a bridge bar I5 is pivotally mounted on the web of approach rail I3 and extends past the gap inside and closely adjacent the rails. The mounting preferably comprises a supporting plate l5 which carries an integral bearing Il having an upstanding apertured ear portion i8. The rail flange is cut away to accommodate the bearing, as best shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4. The bearingfurnishes an arcuate foundation on which the pivot end of the bridge bar bears.

to rail joints, particularly joints for easing shocks of car Wheels travers- 3 Claims. (Cl. 238--218) I 9 passes through ear I 8, bridge bar I5 and the Web of rail I3, and is affixed by a nut Zit, spacers l 2l being interposed alongside the web (Figure The bolt, nut and spacers maintain the bridge bar in proper relation to the rail flange and the supporting plate, but the bolt does not carry any of the weight of the bridge bar. Such Y weight is borne directly by bearing I1.

Beyond the pivotal connection to the approach rail, the bridge bar has a stop 22 which is between the head and the flange of the approach rail and engageable with the head to limit pivotal '-1 The contour of the upper face of said stop preferably matches that of the underface of the rail head 1- The bridge bar has a downwardly directed bore 23. A compression spring 24 bears between the end of the? movement of the bridge bar (Figure 4).

to facilitate this engagement.

bore and the top of supporting plate It and cushions the bridge bar and urges it upwardly 'v to the limit permitted by engagement of stop 22 with the rail head (Figures 2 and 4) An integral guide and bumper Z5 is supported on platform lll adjacent the end of rail I4 and has an upstanding flange 25. The guide and bumper receive the free end of the bridge bar. Since spring 24 urges the bridge bar upwardly, the free end normally clears bumper 25. Therefore the bridge bar does not impose a load on the scale.

The upper face of bridge bar I5 is convex in side elevation (Figure 2). The inner edge of the top face has a lip 2 1 for retaining flanges of car wheels W (Figures 3 and 4).

In operation, as car Wheels W approach the scale, they first engage bridge bar i 5 a little beyond its pivot point and ride up its convex surface. Such engagement compresses spring 24 and the free end of the bridge bar contacts bumper 25 and part of the weight applied to the bridge bar is transferred to platform I0 via the bumper. As the wheel moves forward, an increasing portion of its weight thus is transferred to the scale platform. By the time the wheel actually crosses the gap, the greater part of its weight already has been transferred. After the wheel rides free of the bridge bar, spring 24 lifts the bridge bar out of contact with the bumper. The reverse of such weight transfer takes place when the wheel is removed from the scale.

From the foregoing description, it is seen that I have provided a rail joint in which weight of car wheels is transferred gradually and smoothly means pivotally attaching said bridge bar to said bearing and to the web of the approach rail., said bearing having an arcuate recess which receives the pivot end of the bar to furnish a foun-I dation therefor, said bar extending past the gap inside and closely adjacent the rails, a stop 'Xed to said bar between the head and the an'ge ci the approach rail and engageable with the head to limit pivotal movement of the bar., said -bar having a downwardly facing bore, a compression 'spring in said bore bearing against th'e approach rail support and urging fsaid stop into engagement -Withthe rail head, and bumper means xed l Vwith respect to the other rail, the free end 'of y means pivotally attaching said bridge bar to said bearing -and to the web of the approach rail, said bearing :having an arcuate recess which receives the pivot 'end of the bar to furnish a foundation l therefor, said bar extending past the gap inside and-closely adjacent the rails, the upper face of said bar being convex in side elevation and having a .lip alongside the rail heads and being adapted to receive and support the weight of car Wheels traversing the gap, a stop xed to said bar ra bearing fixed with respect to the approach rail,

between the head and the flange of the approach rail and engageable with the head to limit pivotal movement of the bar, spring means acting on said bar and urging said stop into engagement with the rail head, and bumper means fixed with respect to the other rail, the free end of said bar being adapted to rest on said bumper means on application of a load to said bar.

A rail joint for easing shocks lof car Wheels 1 traversing gaps between rails at approaches to track scales and the like comprising a bridge bar, a bearing xed to the approach rail foundation and having an arcuate recess receiving a complementary end portion of said bar, a bolt pivotally attaching said bar to said bearing and to the web 'of the approach rail, saidV bearing furnishing a foundation for the pivot end of said bai' and transmitting forces applied to the bar l directly to the approach rail foundation, said bar extending past the gap inside and closely adjacent the rails, astop 'fxed to said bar ybetweeri the head and the 11a-nge of the approach rail 'and engageabrle with the head to limit pivotal m'ovement of the bar, said bar having a downwardly facing bore, -a compression spring in said bore bea-ring against the approach rail 'foundation and iuiging said -stop into engagement with the rail head, and bumper means fixed with respect to `the other raii, the free Vend of said bar being adapted to rest on 'said bumper Ameans on appli- Rosbrook yet al. ca Oct. 31,r 1.944 

